Cops Called As Lawmaker Films Job Site (MyFoxPhilly.com)

Cops Called As Lawmaker Films Job Site
State Rep. Was Told Illegal Workers Were At Site

Updated: Friday, 15 Oct 2010, 6:20 AM EDT

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. - The debate over illegal immigration hasn't exactly been calm or polite, but it may be reaching new lows in this video.

The state lawmaker who shot the footage on his cell phone had just found out that his pet project had collapsed in Harrisburg after three long years.

State Rep. John T. Galloway (D-140) had been pushing for a law to require employers in Pennsylvania to use E-Verify, the federal government's online system that verifies a worker's Social Security number.

When his bill died, Galloway decided to go to a construction site near his Bucks County home to do some verification of his own.

And that's when the construction foreman called the cops.

"Listen, stop, OK? Please turn that off," the foreman can be heard saying before turning back to his call to police.

"I'm a state representative," Galloway answers.

"Well then show some f------ ID!" the foreman retorts, adding one more swear before continuing, "all right? Don't come here -- you show some ID. I asked you to leave the site. That's nothing. I don't care, 'House of Representatives.' Get off the site!"

The foreman then turns back to the phone call, saying, "Please send an officer right away."

"Go ahead," Galloway says.

"It's right next to the Home Depot and the Firestone," the foreman tells the dispatcher.

"Go ahead," Galloway says again.

"I've got a man trespassing, taking pictures," the foreman tells police.

"Are there illegals working on this site?" Galloway asks as the foreman continues talking to police. " Do they have papers? Does that man right there have papers? Are you going to answer me or not!"

Police officers did show up, but no one was arrested. It turns out that a former worker on the project told Galloway that some of the workers at the job site near Route 13 in Tullytown were in the country illegally.

Galloway did not have the authority to go looking for proof, so he has now asked Immigration and Customs Enforcement to investigate.